Lithuanian man pleads guilty to terrorist plot to attack Galway mosque

Karolis Peckauskas of Newfoundwell Rd,  Drogheda, Co Louth, arriving at Portlaoise District Court for a previous court hearing in March. File picture: Colin Keegan/Collins

A Lithuanian man has pleaded guilty to engaging in a terrorist plot to attack a Galway mosque.

At the non-jury Special Criminal Court on Monday, Karolis Peckauskas, aged 39, with an address at Newfoundwell Road, Drogheda, Co Louth, entered a guilty plea on a charge of attempting to engage in a terrorist activity or a terrorist-linked activity contrary to section 6(1)(a)(ii) and 7(1) of the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005.

The details of the offence are that between November 4 and 5, 2025, the defendant did attempt to engage in terrorist activity or terrorist-linked activity, namely that he did without lawful excuse attempt to damage by fire property, to wit, Maryam Mosque, Old Cottages, Monivea Road, Galway, belonging to another, intending to damage such property, or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged, an offence which was aggravated by hatred.

On June 8, the defendant's co-accused Darren Gorman, aged 33, of O’Moore Place, Portlaoise, Co Laois and Garrett Pollock, aged 35, of Kilhorne Greene, Annalong, Co Down, both pleaded guilty to the same offence.

A fourth man, Charles Flynn, aged 35, of Castlerock Avenue, Castleconnell, Co Limerick, remains charged with the same offence, with his case next up for mention on July 20.

Mr Peckauskas, Mr Gorman, and Mr Pollock will all return before the court on October 5 next for a sentence hearing.

Mr Peckauskas' last appearance was in May, when the court was told that he is also accused of having two hatchets, a knuckle duster, and a hunting knife in a silver BMW car at O’Moore Place, Portlaoise on November 4, 2025 contrary to Section 9 (5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990.

He is further charged with the possession of an explosive substance — four threaded pipe end caps and six litres of hydrogen peroxide — under such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion that he did not have it in his possession for a lawful object at O’Moore Place on the same date.

In judicial review proceedings before the High Court, Mr Peckauskas has claimed that he cannot get a fair trial on the latter charge due to the wording of the Explosives Act which, he argues, places the burden on him to prove he is not morally culpable.

A stay has been imposed on his prosecution on the explosives charge until judgment is returned on his High Court challenge.